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Diocese makes use of Web to promote religious vocations
By Andrew Junker, The Catholic Sun
May 17, 2007
The Church has been fostering vocations ever since Christ instituted holy orders at the Last Supper.
Though the calling has remained the same throughout the centuries, the means of cultivating vocations has grown in the technological age, even to embracing the Internet.
The Diocese of Phoenix vocations office has recently joined other dioceses and religious orders by launching a comprehensive Web site at www.vocationanswers.com.
The site offers information on the priesthood and religious life, the process of discernment, prayers to say for vocations and a question and answer section where Fr. Don Kline, diocesan director of vocations, answers e-mail inquiries.
In fact, the large amount of questions Fr. Kline found himself answering over the phone or at various parishes each month was the impetus for launching the site.
“I found that there were a lot of questions and sometimes people don’t feel comfortable asking them one-on-one,” he said. “The Internet retains that anonymity, so they feel no fear to ask those questions.”
Fr. Kline responds to all the questions himself and tries to give a “personal answer” to each query.
He said the Web site can “bridge the gap” between people who might think they have a religious calling, but are also “on the fence or a little fearful.”
Fr. Kline hopes, though, that the Internet doesn’t become a “crutch” for people toying with the idea of a vocation, but lacking the courage to pursue it more forcefully.
He noted that Jesus attracted followers by confronting men and women and saying, “Follow me.”
“It was a personal encounter with Christ,” Fr. Kline said. “I don’t see the Internet ever replacing that. That still needs to be first and foremost, this dialogue between the bishop and his people, the pastor and his flock.”
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